🎁 Get ~₹28,000 free Google Cloud credits for ContentLead
Walks you through creating a fresh Google Cloud account, unlocking the ₹28k+ free-trial credits, and connecting it to ContentLead so you control your AI quota — not the shared free tier.
⏱ ~15 minutes
🇮🇳 Google account + any UPI app
💰 ₹1000 hold — refundable
🔑 One JSON key at the end
Jump to any step
🆕 Phase 1 · Create your Google Cloud account Steps 1–5
1 Agree to Google Cloud's free-trial terms
2 Update your payments profile (if prompted)
3 Add a payment method
4 Select UPI as your payment method
5 Complete UPI verification and click Start free
🔀 Phase 2 · Branch check & (optional) ₹1000 hold Steps 6–11
6 Your free trial is active! — check for the credits ring
7 Free trial active — but Google is asking for a ₹1000 verification
8 Scan the ₹1000 QR with any UPI app
9 Approve the ₹1000 hold in your UPI app
10 Return to the browser and continue
11 Verification approved — ₹1000 will be refunded
🖥️ Phase 3 · Land in the Cloud Console Steps 12–15
12 Skip the intro tour
13 Land in the Google Cloud Console
14 Confirm 'My First Project' is selected
15 Confirm you can see your credits
⚡ Phase 4 · Enable the Vertex AI API Steps 16–17
16 Open the Vertex AI / Agent Platform API in the Library
17 Enable the API
🔓 Phase 5 · Unlock service-account keys Steps 18–28
18 Head to Organisation Policies
19 Filter for the service-account key policy
20 Open the Active policy row
21 Hover Manage Policy → click Fix access
22 Grant yourself Organisation Policy Administrator
23 Role granted — close the side panel
24 Now click Manage policy
25 Override the parent policy
26 Add a rule
27 Set Enforcement to Off, then Done
28 Save the policy override
🔑 Phase 6 · Create service account & download key Steps 29–40
29 Policy updated — go to Service Accounts
30 Click + Create service account
31 Name your service account and click Create and continue
32 Grant the Basic → Editor role
33 Confirm Editor role and click Continue
34 Skip user access and click Done
35 Open the new service account
36 Go to the Keys tab
37 Add key → Create new key
38 Choose JSON and click Create
39 Key saved — click Close
40 Find the downloaded JSON key
🔗 Phase 7 · Connect the key to ContentLead Steps 41–53
41 Head to ContentLead and open your content
42 Switch to the Editor
43 You're inside the ContentLead editor
44 Right-panel tools are ready
45 Open the AI Video generate panel
46 Click the shared-quota badge
47 Click Connect your Google project
48 Review the setup guide
49 Click + Add project
50 Upload your service-account JSON
51 Pick the JSON key from Downloads
52 Click Test & Save
53 Your own quota is active!
STEP 1
Agree to Google Cloud's free-trial terms
Open the signup page, confirm India, and click Agree & continue.
Open console.cloud.google.com/freetrial in the same browser where you're signed into Google. Confirm the country reads India , tick the terms box, and click Agree & continue .
STEP 2
Update your payments profile (if prompted)
Most first-time signups skip this — if you don't see it, jump to Step 13.
Google sometimes asks you to complete a payments profile before proceeding. Fill it in accurately if shown. If Google doesn't show this screen, skip to Step 13 .
STEP 3
Add a payment method
Attach a card or UPI so Google can run a small verification hold.
Click Add payment method . This does not charge you the full amount — Google will only run a small refundable verification hold.
STEP 4
Select UPI as your payment method
UPI is the fastest option in India — no card details needed.
From the payment options, choose UPI . Google will show a QR code / UPI ID next.
STEP 5
Complete UPI verification and click Start free
Approve the auto-pay mandate in your UPI app, come back, and click Start free.
After the UPI mandate is authorized in your UPI app, come back to this tab. The Start free trial button becomes active — click it.
STEP 6
Your free trial is active! — check for the credits ring
The credits ring at the top-right tells you which path to follow.
You'll land on the Google Cloud Welcome page. Look at the top-right for a credits ring showing approximately ₹28,663 · 90 days remaining . Whether you see it decides the next 5 steps — use the picker below.
👀 Which one do you see on the Welcome page?
✓ I see the ₹28k credits ring
You're already set. Skip Steps 7–11 and jump to Step 13 to continue.
Skip to Step 13 →
⚠ I see a "Make a payment" banner
Google wants a one-time ₹1000 refundable UPI verification. Follow Steps 7–11, then continue with Step 13.
Continue with Step 7 →
STEP 7
Only if Google asked to verify
Free trial active — but Google is asking for a ₹1000 verification
Only if Google showed the 'Make a payment' banner in the previous step.
Some accounts get flagged by Google's fraud check and see a Make a payment banner instead of the credits ring. In that case, Google asks for a one-time refundable ₹1000 UPI hold to confirm you're a real person. Continue with the next 4 steps, then jump to Step 13 .
STEP 8
Only if Google asked to verify
Scan the ₹1000 QR with any UPI app
Only if Google asked for the ₹1000 verification (from Step 7).
Google shows a ₹1000 Pay-by-UPI QR code. Open any UPI app and scan it. This is a refundable verification hold — not a purchase.
STEP 9
Only if Google asked to verify
Approve the ₹1000 hold in your UPI app
Only if Google asked for the ₹1000 verification.
Approve the ₹1000 charge in your UPI app. Google states this amount is refunded when you close the account.
STEP 10
Only if Google asked to verify
Return to the browser and continue
Only if Google asked for the ₹1000 verification.
Come back to the Google Cloud tab. Once payment shows as confirmed, click Continue .
STEP 11
Only if Google asked to verify
Verification approved — ₹1000 will be refunded
Only if Google asked for the ₹1000 verification.
Once your UPI app confirms the ₹1000 charge, Google marks the verification successful on the same billing screen (the QR area updates to a payment-successful state). This ₹1000 is a refundable hold — Google returns it when you close the account. You're through the fraud check.
STEP 12
Skip the intro tour
Click Not Now to skip Google's welcome tour.
When Google offers a product tour, click Not Now — you don't need it for what we're doing.
STEP 13
Land in the Google Cloud Console
This is your Google Cloud home base.
Navigate to console.cloud.google.com . Everything from here on happens in this console.
STEP 14
Confirm 'My First Project' is selected
Check the top-left project dropdown.
Look at the project dropdown near the top-left. It should read My First Project . If not, click it and pick that project.
STEP 15
Confirm you can see your credits
The credits ring at the top-right should show ~₹28k · 90 days.
Confirm the credits ring is showing. If yes, you're free-trial-active on this project. Next we'll enable the Vertex AI (Agent Platform) API.
STEP 16
Open the Vertex AI / Agent Platform API in the Library
Google recently renamed Vertex AI as 'Agent Platform' — same product.
Open console.cloud.google.com/apis/library/aiplatform.googleapis.com in the same browser window. This is the API detail page.
STEP 17
Enable the API
Click the blue Enable button.
On the Agent Platform / Vertex AI API page, click the Enable button. This gives your project access to Google's Gemini video and image models.
STEP 18
Head to Organisation Policies
IAM & Admin → Organisation Policies with 'My First Project' selected.
Open console.cloud.google.com/iam-admin/orgpolicies . Confirm 'My First Project' is still selected at the top. A Filter row appears at the top of the policies table.
STEP 19
Filter for the service-account key policy
Paste the policy name into the Filter box.
The Filter row appears below the top action bar. Paste this into it: iam.disableServiceAccountKeyCreation .
STEP 20
Open the Active policy row
Click the row marked Active to open the policy.
The policy list is now filtered down to a single row. Click the row marked Active to open its detail page.
STEP 21
Hover Manage Policy → click Fix access
A permissions popover appears when you hover.
When you hover over Manage policy , Google shows a popover saying you need additional permissions. Click Fix access in that popover.
STEP 22
Grant yourself Organisation Policy Administrator
Click Grant Access in the side drawer.
A side drawer opens listing the required role: Organisation Policy Administrator . Click Grant Access .
STEP 23
Role granted — close the side panel
A green 'Policy updated' toast confirms.
You'll see a success notification. Close the side panel with the X at the top.
STEP 24
Now click Manage policy
It's clickable now that you have the role.
The Manage policy button is now enabled. Click it to enter the edit view.
STEP 25
Override the parent policy
Select 'Override parent's policy' under Policy source.
Under Policy source , click Override parent's policy . This lets you set a custom rule for this project.
STEP 26
Add a rule
Click the Add a rule button.
With override selected, click Add a rule .
STEP 27
Set Enforcement to Off, then Done
This is what actually unlocks service-account key downloads.
Toggle Enforcement to Off and click Done . Your rule now shows as Not enforced .
STEP 28
Save the policy override
Click Set policy at the bottom.
Scroll down and click Set policy to save the override.
STEP 29
Policy updated — go to Service Accounts
In the left nav, click Service accounts.
A green 'Policy updated' toast confirms your override is live. In the left navigation, click Service accounts .
STEP 30
Click + Create service account
Top action bar → + Create service account.
On the Service Accounts page, click + Create service account in the top action bar.
STEP 31
Name your service account and click Create and continue
e.g., contentlead-access.
Enter a name — for example contentlead-access . The ID auto-fills. Click Create and continue .
STEP 32
Grant the Basic → Editor role
Editor is what ContentLead needs.
In the Role dropdown, choose Basic → Editor .
STEP 33
Confirm Editor role and click Continue
Verify Editor is listed under roles.
Confirm Editor now appears under roles, then click Continue .
STEP 34
Skip user access and click Done
You don't need to grant users — leave blank and click Done.
The Grant users access section is optional. Leave it blank and click Done .
STEP 35
Open the new service account
Click its email link in the list.
You're back on the Service Accounts list. Click on the email address of the account you just created to open its details.
STEP 36
Go to the Keys tab
Top-of-page tabs → Keys.
In the top-of-page tabs, click Keys . The list will read 'No rows to display'.
STEP 37
Add key → Create new key
Click Add Key, then Create new key.
Click Add key and choose Create new key from the dropdown.
STEP 38
Choose JSON and click Create
JSON is the recommended format.
Keep JSON selected (recommended) and click Create . The file downloads automatically.
STEP 39
Key saved — click Close
'Private key saved to your computer' — click Close.
You'll see a confirmation modal. Click Close . The active key row now appears in the table.
STEP 40
Find the downloaded JSON key
It's in your browser's Downloads history.
Look at your browser's Downloads. The file will be named like project-XXXXX.json . Keep it safe — it's the only credential you'll paste into ContentLead.
STEP 41
Head to ContentLead and open your content
Go to contentlead.in/content.
Open contentlead.in/content and click your content row to open it.
STEP 42
Switch to the Editor
Toggle Standard → Editor in the top bar.
In the top toolbar, click the Editor toggle to enter the ContentLead editor.
STEP 43
You're inside the ContentLead editor
The editor loads with Transcript / Plan / Create tabs.
The editor loads. You'll see the main upload zone and a right-side tool panel.
STEP 44
Right-panel tools are ready
Upload zone, right toolbar with Generate / SFX / etc.
The editor is fully loaded. On the right side, you'll see icons for Generate, SFX, Elements, and more.
STEP 45
Open the AI Video generate panel
Right toolbar → Generate.
Click the Generate icon in the right toolbar. The AI Video / Image / Voice panel opens.
STEP 46
Click the shared-quota badge
The '2 videos/day + 15 images/day free' pill at the top.
At the top of the AI panel, click the badge that reads 2 videos/day + 15 images/day free . That's the shared free key.
STEP 47
Click Connect your Google project
Reveals the BYOK flow.
A tooltip / popover appears. Click Connect your Google project .
STEP 48
Review the setup guide
'Bring your own Google Cloud projects' modal.
A modal titled Bring your own Google Cloud projects opens. Skim the guide.
STEP 49
Click + Add project
Opens the credentials form.
Scroll down inside the modal and click the + Add project button. A form appears.
STEP 50
Upload your service-account JSON
The upload zone accepts your project-xxx.json.
You'll see a Service Account JSON upload zone. Click it (or drag and drop).
STEP 51
Pick the JSON key from Downloads
Select project-xxx.json and click Open.
In the file dialog, pick the project-XXXXX.json you downloaded and click Open .
STEP 52
Click Test & Save
ContentLead validates the key against Google Cloud.
Click Test & Save . ContentLead runs a test call to Google Cloud to confirm the key is valid and Vertex AI is enabled.
STEP 53
Your own quota is active!
Badge now reads 'Your quota · 1 project'. You're done.
The quota badge now shows Your quota · 1 project . Every video, image, and voice generation from here on uses your own Google Cloud project — full ~₹28k of 90-day trial credits.
🎉 You're all set!
Every AI generation from here on runs on your own Google Cloud key — full ~₹28k of 90-day trial credits.